LABOUR MAKE LITTLE NOISE FOR BRITISH INTERESTS

Tory MEPs fight again to maintain British decision-making in British rather than EU hands, this time on the right to set the levels of unacceptable environmental noise, and yet again British Labour MEPs vote it down.

The Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Atkins MEP, Conservative Spokesman on the Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism Committee of the European Parliament, tabled two amendments to a report which aims to set common standards of environmental noise pollution, whereby member states with existing noise legislation - such as the UK - could continue to use those standards or alter them as necessary.

"I set the present British legislation in train when I was an Environment Minister" commented Sir Robert, "and I know how much work went into setting the parameters and also the flexibility to change the intrusive levels where necessary. We do not need European bureaucrats interfering in what should be a simple issue of subsidiarity. Yet Labour and their friends voted it down."

"Who is really fighting for British interests in Europe? It is certainly not the British Labour Party!"